


Say Anything

by adevyish



Category: Tokyo Babylon
Genre: Exorcisms, Implied/Referenced Child Neglect, M/M, Mild animal abuse, Typical Tokyo Babylon Warnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 10:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8888149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adevyish/pseuds/adevyish
Summary: A day in the lives of Subaru, Seishirou, and Hokuto.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [novem_stellae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/novem_stellae/gifts).



> Hi novem_stellae! I hope this comes close to what you were looking for in terms of an exploration of their characters. You might recognize some paraphrases from _Tokyo Babylon_ itself. Hope you like it.

_Subaru_

Yet another day off from school, thought Subaru with a sigh. It was his duty as the 13th head of the Sumeragi, the life he was raised for and the only life he knew. Among his classmates at CLAMP Gakuen it was common to take days off for jobs or events, but his school was anything but normal. Subaru’s only exposure to normalcy was through his clients and his job. Sometimes he thought he knew more of the dead than the living.

“Ma’am,” Subaru said softly and firmly. “I’ve exorcised the spirit of your son from your apartment.”

“Good,” the woman sniffed. A white cat that Subaru had noticed the son’s ghost petting earlier shuffled from the shadows of the apartment towards her, and nuzzled against her hosiery-clad legs. “Shoo!” she yelled, kicking at the cat with her black stilettos.

Days like this with a job he hated were days when Subaru most wished for a normal teenage life with normal teenage responsibilities. As a Sumeragi onmyouji, he knew was not supposed to interfere with the matters of clients outside of what they requested, or worse, leave with something that resembled a gift.

The more Subaru stood there exchanging forced pleasantries with the client, the more he couldn’t help but notice the cat’s lank matted fur and knowing eyes. He wouldn’t be able to take the subway home, so he would have to call someone to pick him up, namely Seishirou. He didn’t want to take advantage of Seishirou’s kindness so easily, when they had only known each other for a month, but he didn’t think Seishirou would mind.

Seishirou was a veterinarian, Subaru reasoned, and he seemed kind enough to Subaru. The cat was aging and had lost the one person who’d loved it in the world. A cat like this should have a simple and happy life. A cat like this could not hurt others like it had been hurt. It would be all right if Subaru broke a rule this once.

Subaru coughed politely. “Do you mind if I take this cat with me?”

“I’d be glad you took it away,” the woman huffed. “More trouble than it’s worth.”

This would be the most awkward part, Subaru thought, having to ask Seishirou to pick him up. He asked the woman, “Do you mind if I use your phone?”

So Subaru left his job with an old, scruffy cat in his arms. He knew he must have looked strange, a fashionable teenager standing on a street corner in Omotesandou, skipping school and cradling a cat as he waited for Seishirou. But he thought he didn’t mind being abnormal this once.

*

_Seishirou_

Seishirou was surprised when Subaru called him out of the blue.

When Subaru climbed into his van with a sad-looking cat, Seishirou had to tease him. “Don’t you have school?” Seishirou asked.

“Ah, I had a job,” Subaru said, ducking his head shyly.

“You should be enjoying your youth, not spinning in the doldrums of work like us poor adults,” Seishirou said. It was hypocritical of him, having had the lowest attendance rate of his high school class while still managing to graduate. But Seishirou the kind veterinarian was nowhere close to Seishirou the sociopathic delinquent, so he laughed at his fake words and smoothed it to sound kinder.

“Don’t you love your work, Seishirou-san?” Subaru asked. “You seem very devoted to it,” he added. Subaru was too sweet, really.

“I guess you would call me lucky,” Seishirou sing-songed. He didn’t care about his jobs, either of them, so he moved the conversation along. “Do you love your work, Subaru?”

“Well I,” Subaru started. “I suppose I’m doing good in the world,” he said in a tone that wouldn’t convince anyone, let alone the Sakurazukamori. “But so are you!” Subaru added quickly. “You’re doing something you love and making the world better; it’s inspiring.”

“You’re such a flatterer, Subaru,” Seishirou teased, just to watch Subaru blush from his rearview mirror.

There was a short silence, while Seishirou focused on driving and Subaru focused on whatever occupied his thoughts. As Seishirou waited for a stoplight to change, he spoke up. “You can do what you love too, you know.”

“But I’m the head of the Sumeragi clan—”

“It’s nearly the 21st century,” Seishirou interrupted, and said in his best variety show voice, “Youth should be following their dreams!”

After a long pause, Subaru said, “I don’t want to cause a hassle.” His words were so quiet that Seishirou could barely hear them over the midday bustle of Tokyo residents going about their ever-shortening lives.

“If you redeem yourself by doing good, does it matter that you caused a hassle?” Seishirou asked. “You’re too young to be alone with your regrets.”

“I have Hokuto-chan and you!” Subaru protested. Really, Seishirou thought, it was almost pathetic.

“Young people your age should have more friends than an ancient adult like me,” Seishirou said with humorous tone, and watched Subaru to make sure he interpreted it as the joke it masqueraded as rather the criticism it was. “You’re too kind, Subaru.”

Subaru must have read too much self-deprecation into Seishirou’s words as his reply came in a tone that Seishirou had never heard from him, one that brooked no disagreement. “I like you, Seishirou-san.” Then Subaru seemed to realize what he said, and started waving his hands madly. “Just as a friend! Don’t get any ideas!”

“You’re too cute, Subaru,” Seishirou said with a grin. “Letting someone like me drive you around; you should really be more careful!”

Subaru didn’t react outwardly, but Seishirou could see just the smallest hint of a smile. They sat in silence, Subaru absentmindedly stroking the cat.

“Doesn’t it get tiring?” Subaru asked. “Devoting your time to someone like me?”

Seishirou wondered sometimes how he could have made a bet to love someone who disliked themselves as much as Subaru. It had only been a month, but Subaru was making it too easy to win.

“If I couldn’t love, then what would I dream of living for?” Seishirou said, watching the traffic move along like ants scurrying for food. “It would be a lonely existence, wouldn’t it?”

*

_Hokuto_

“Welcome home,” Hokuto greeted. “I noticed Sei-chan dropped you off today. How adorable, my little brother already going on dates!”

“It’s not like that,” Subaru protested, blushing. Hokuto thought it was cute, how her brother who rarely reacted to anything anyone said, would react so strongly whenever Seishirou was involved. Hokuto hoped it would be good for her brother.

“How did you even know he dropped me off?” Subaru asked.

“Sei-chan called me to let me know he was picking you up from your job,” Hokuto explained. “Such a dutiful boyfriend,” she added with a cackle.

“You two need to stop ganging up on me,” Subaru replied, still blushing, but Hokuto could tell from his tone that he appreciated their consideration.

“You’ll chase him away with your indifference!” Hokuto laughed, the jest too honest. She didn’t want what their parents and grandparents had: so much dedication to duty that they had nothing else.

Laughing along, Subaru shook his head and said, “I’ll still have you.”

“We’re our own people, Subaru,” Hokuto said. She had never said it, but she was still haunted by how reticent Subaru became after their year apart. Something in her knew that Subaru needed to become less dependent on her. He needed to become more confident in his own opinions and his own person and not see himself only a vessel of spiritual power for the clan.

She shook her head a little. Subaru didn’t need to worry about her worries. So she joked, “What if a prince comes along and sweeps me off to Paris!” She added a twirl worthy of an Audrey Hepburn character.

“He’ll get tired of carrying all your clothes,” Subaru replied drolly.

“So mean, Subaru,” Hokuto said with a pout and pinched Subaru’s cheeks until she made him laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the song by X Japan.


End file.
